Proof of Life was Russell Crowe’s first major cinema appearance following the hugely successful film Gladiator. In an attempt to try and establish Crowe as the latest Hollywood heart throb, this picture was intended to be an action thriller, with sizzling sexual chemistry between Crowe ... Read review
Inspired by aVanity Fairarticle,Proof of Lifeis that rarest of Hollywood commodities: the ... more
exploration of an original idea. Kidnapping may have graced our screens in the likes ofRansom, but the revelatory material here exposes a billion dollar industry....
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Inspired by aVanity Fairarticle,Proof of Lifeis that rarest of Hollywood commodities: the ... more
exploration of an original idea. Kidnapping may have graced our screens in the likes ofRansom, but the revelatory material here exposes a billion dollar industry....
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Stunning kidnap drama starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe.Alice Bowman is world-travelled ... more
and savvy but nothing could prepare her for this. Rebels in a politically volatile Latin American country have kidnapped her husband for ransom. The asking price:...
Set against the exotic backdrop of kidnapped overseas American business executives and the ... more
insurance company's professional "risk management" specialists who free them,Proof of Lifearguably generated most of its publicity for the tempestuous off-screen romance of stars Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe. Lost in the celebrity press and mixed reviews was another solid musical effort from Danny Elfman, whose heavily synthesised score evokes everything from Tangerine Dream's pioneeringSorcererscore to Latin flavours and ethnic percussion and winds in just its main title alone. The textures here range from a solo acoustic guitar set against tense, complex synthesised rhythms to quiet piano and symphony passages. One senses that Elfman strived earnestly to create a fresh sonic atmosphere, even if the filmmakers were less successful in their efforts. --Jerry McCulley
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Inspired by aVanity Fairarticle,Proof of Lifeis that rarest of Hollywood commodities: the ... more
exploration of an original idea. Kidnapping may have graced our screens in the likes ofRansom, but the revelatory material here exposes a billion dollar industry. Engineer Peter Bowman (David Morse) is the kidnapee. Anti-government guerrillas in the fictional locale of Tecala in South America are his captors. More central to the plot is negotiator Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe's first role afterGladiator). His wavering professional ethics allow him to overlook the fact that Bowman's company has reneged on the insurance payment, but don't prevent him from developing feelings for Bowman's wife Alice (Meg Ryan). Cutting between the threads, the film benefits from Crowe and Ryan's obvious chemistry as well as an atmosphere of tense reality provided by the lush locations. Perfectionist director Taylor Hackford insisted on filming in Ecuador despite the studio's better judgement. The crew suffered a consistently hostile environment, but the jungle helps in maintaining a believable threat against Bowman's life. What's ultimately discovered by each of the principals is that they all had more to prove to themselves than they'd ever realised.On The DVD:From an animated menu there's the obligatory trailer and page of cast and crew names. The surprise in the latter is that it's static--No further information! A 14-minute HBO documentary hosted by David Caruso makes up for that. Mini-interviews with all the cast are intercut with behind-the-scenes footage. You see Morse losing weight as they shot, learn that there are 30,000 kidnappings a year and that the crew suffered a drifting wind of tear gas one day. The best feature is Taylor Hackford's commentary, which is breathlessly crammed with information. He talks about the detailed research undertaken on the script, which highlighted Columbia as the world's kidnap centre and London as the K&R (Kidnap and Rescue) reciprocal centre. The most fascinating fact is the reason for a deleted sex scene between Ryan and Crowe. While editing it, Hackford was about the last to discover they'd become an item off-screen. Ryan's lasting objections mean it's not included on this disc. A terrific 2:35:1 ratio dazzles the eye with the Ecuador landscapes, and the 5.1 surround does wonders for Danny Elfman's edgy score.--Paul Tonks
Postage & Packaging:£2.69 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Inspired by aVanity Fairarticle,Proof of Lifeis that rarest of Hollywood commodities: the ... more
exploration of an original idea. Kidnapping may have graced our screens in the likes ofRansom, but the revelatory material here exposes a billion dollar industry. Engineer Peter Bowman (David Morse) is the kidnapee. Anti-government guerrillas in the fictional locale of Tecala in South America are his captors. More central to the plot is negotiator Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe's first role afterGladiator). His wavering professional ethics allow him to overlook the fact that Bowman's company has reneged on the insurance payment, but don't prevent him from developing feelings for Bowman's wife Alice (Meg Ryan). Cutting between the threads, the film benefits from Crowe and Ryan's obvious chemistry as well as an atmosphere of tense reality provided by the lush locations. Perfectionist director Taylor Hackford insisted on filming in Ecuador despite the studio's better judgement. The crew suffered a consistently hostile environment, but the jungle helps in maintaining a believable threat against Bowman's life. What's ultimately discovered by each of the principals is that they all had more to prove to themselves than they'd ever realised.On The DVD:From an animated menu there's the obligatory trailer and page of cast and crew names. The surprise in the latter is that it's static--No further information! A 14-minute HBO documentary hosted by David Caruso makes up for that. Mini-interviews with all the cast are intercut with behind-the-scenes footage. You see Morse losing weight as they shot, learn that there are 30,000 kidnappings a year and that the crew suffered a drifting wind of tear gas one day. The best feature is Taylor Hackford's commentary, which is breathlessly crammed with information. He talks about the detailed research undertaken on the script, which highlighted Columbia as the world's kidnap centre and London as the K&R (Kidnap and Rescue) reciprocal centre. The most fascinating fact is the reason for a deleted sex scene between Ryan and Crowe. While editing it, Hackford was about the last to discover they'd become an item off-screen. Ryan's lasting objections mean it's not included on this disc. A terrific 2:35:1 ratio dazzles the eye with the Ecuador landscapes, and the 5.1 surround does wonders for Danny Elfman's edgy score.--Paul Tonks
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 1999 - Drama, Thriller - Director: M. Night Shyamalan - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Olivia Williams, Glenn Fitzgerald, Mischa Barton, Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Proof of Life was Russell Crowe’s first major cinema appearance following the hugely successful film Gladiator. In an attempt to try and establish Crowe as the latest Hollywood heart throb, this picture was intended to be an action thriller, with sizzling sexual chemistry between Crowe and his co-star Meg Ryan. Although this film is not the worst I have ever seen, I’m afraid the finished product falls rather short of what was promised ... ...usefulness…
Where Proof of Life goes wrong is that, with hindsight, considering the film runs for over two hours, its is extremely slow-paced throughout. I would like to credit the film-makers with some artistic licence here, as it is possible that the pace and length of the film are designed to reflect the arduous and time-consuming task of negotiating with the hostages, but somehow I don’t think this was the case. Proof ... more
Proof of Life was Russell Crowe’s first major cinema appearance following the hugely successful film Gladiator. In an attempt to try and establish Crowe as the latest Hollywood heart throb, this picture was intended to be an action thriller, with sizzling sexual chemistry between Crowe and his co-star Meg Ryan. Although this film is not the worst I have ever seen, I’m afraid the finished product falls rather short of what was promised – Proof of Life is mediocre at best.
Meg Ryan plays Alice Bowman the wife of an American engineer Peter Bowman, who is on secondment to South America to help the local population construct a dam. When Peter is kidnapped at gunpoint by local guerrillas, his unscrupulous employers admit that they have not paid up on employee insurance premiums and are therefore unable to pay for the services of a professional negotiator. Luckily, Bowman’s wife is able to enlist the services of Terry Thorne (played by Crowe) – an ex-army officer who is experienced in such situations. With time running out, Thorne desperately struggles to negotiate with the kidnappers and return Peter to his wife – before his kidnappers decide he has outlived his usefulness…
Where Proof of Life goes wrong is that, with hindsight, considering the film runs for over two hours, its is extremely slow-paced throughout. I would like to credit the film-makers with some artistic licence here, as it is possible that the pace and length of the film are designed to reflect the arduous and time-consuming task of negotiating with the hostages, but somehow I don’t think this was the case. Proof of Life drifts from on scene to another in a casual, almost uncaring way that gives the impression both the actors and the directors had simply lost interest in the whole thing.
The film tries (and largely fails) to blend a number of elements, each of which may well have made a decent enough movie in its own rights. The kidnap plot is realistic and has a good sense of reality – probably due to the fact that the film was inspired by the autobiography of Thomas Hargrove ( a real-life kidnap victim) and a detailed article from Vanity Fair. You can tell that the role of the negotiator is well researched and the script certainly says the right things. Unfortunately, this is a side to the film which is criminally underused, offset instead with the growing feelings between Alice Bowman and Terry Thorne. Coupled with these two plots are sequences showing Peter Bowman’s treatment as a prisoner, his gradual attempts to escape and sporadic scenes of terrorism and political tension largely unrelated to the plot. The result is a film that seems to contain so much – and yet in hindsight contains very little. The film-makers would have done well to concentrate on one central theme, in order that they may develop their ideas properly. The pace and shifting nature of the film means that the viewer ultimately loses interest.
The action sequences within the film are surprisingly under stated – considering this film sits firmly within the thriller section at the video store don’t expect constant thrills and spills. Sequences which are focused upon heavily in cinematic trailers last barely a minute before you’re back to the dialogue between Crowe and Ryan. It’s not even as if the chemistry between Crowe and Ryan is at all engaging – Crowe looks permanently very bored and his deep Australian disinterest is completely out of joint with Ryan’s tearful, emotional display. The supporting cast don’t really help either. Pamela Reed plays Janis Goodman (Peter’s sister from the States) who starts off as the grumpy disapproving sister – and then sort of disappears back to the USA for no apparent reason and there is a cheesy backing crew of old army mates who turn up and help Thorne out rather like a personal A Team.
All this is a great shame, because there was so much that I would have liked to have like about this film. The South American scenery is breathtaking. The portrayal of political unrest is realistic and gritty and the terribly bleak lives of the guerrillas are a revelation in their own right. I also thought that Peter’s mad fellow prisoner was brilliant – and extremely convincing. The action sequences involving Peter’s capture, and the subsequent attempts to rescue him are both suspenseful and well directed. Unfortunately, the sum total of parts simply didn’t add up to two hours of gripping movie entertainment and I have to say that by the end of the film I was rather losing the will to live.
In summary, I would recommend this movie when it comes round to terrestrial TV, but probably not worth spending your hard earned cash on to rent out!
Advantages: Russell Crowe slips through with a little dignity left Disadvantages: The acting is evil, the story line is pants and it is way too long
...“ Why don’t you give Proof Of Life a go”, having seen the trailers in the cinema just before its release I decided I may as well give it a shot. My lord how I wish I hadn’t.
Warning this Op is rather large.
Overview Of The Film
The film masquerades itself as an action/thriller but this is really not the case. The beginning of the film introduces us to Terry Thorne a K&R (Kidnap and Rescue) consultant who is just finishing ... ...The Making Of Proof Of Life
This is a short 15 minute documentary about guess what yes that’s right the making of the film, there are interviews with all the main players of the film including director Taylor Hackford as well as real K&R consultants. Not a bad attempt but could have been better.
Director’s Commentary
As I have expressed in past opinions I really love it when films come with commentary on for me it really adds to the ...
M.Frieel 12.10.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Proof Of Life (DVD)
Advantages: Crowe and Caruso Disadvantages: a little long
On Saturday evening with time to spare and nothing to do, we checked out Sky Premier and its latest offering ‘Proof of Life’ starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe. My boyfriend was a little reluctant after hearing it starred Meg Ryan but I reassured him this was no chick flick but more an action thriller any man would be proud to watch.
The Plot
I didn’t know until after watching it that the movie is based on the true story of Dr. Thomas Hargrove ... ...story was published in Vanity Fair and also his book ‘Long March to Freedom: Tom Hargrove's Own Story of His Kidnapping by Colombian Narco-Guerrillas’.
I missed the first 30 seconds of the movie after flitting around the house and pestering Mike to hurry up with his shower so I was a little confused. Had we gone straight into the kidnap? Actually, no, Russell Crowe’s character Terry Thorne was recounting his previous rescue mission of Pierre Lenoir ...
pixiedon 02.09.2002
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Proof Of Life (DVD)
Advantages: Tense, gripping, good performances by Crowe and Ryan... Disadvantages: ... too much bad language, some parts ill-developed or contrived
...WHAT IS A PROOF OF LIFE? A proof of life is what negotiators insist on getting before the deals start to be made. Basically it is proof that the kidnapped person is alive - so, a photograph of them holding a recent newspaper with the date clearly visible, allowing them to talk over the radio, etc, would be a proof of life. Before that is obtained, no negotiations can be made as there's no guarantee that the person being bargained for is still alive. ... ...tension, and on the whole Proof Of Life does this very well. It's not quite up to the standard of The Negotiator (which to my mind still sets the standard for modern thrillers), but it's not a million miles away. If you like thrillers then this comes recommended, with a caution on the language and violence. CREW Director - Taylor Hackford (Ray) Music - Danny Elfman (Spiderman 2, (Chicago) RATING 15 (UK), R (USA) RUNTIME 135 minutes (doesn't seem ...
CaptainDisaster 12.06.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Proof Of Life (DVD)
Advantages: Great acting and cinematography Disadvantages: Watching that cad, Crowe, at work
Proof of life is the latest film starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator, The Insider, LA Confidential) to be released on DVD.
In it, he plays an Australian hostage retrieval expert, Terry Thorne. Our first encounter with Thorne is in a meeting with with his company's board members as he briefs them on his recent K+R (kidnap and ransom) case in Chechnya (I think that's how it's spelt).
Meanwhile, in Tecala, Ecuador, a local terrorist militia kidnaps ... ...Look Documentary: The Making of Proof of Life
A good making of, giving the cast and directors insights into the story and also showing the harsh conditions in which they had to film in.
* Trailer
Does exactly what it says on the tin, and doesn't give too much away.
* Audio Commentary
A commentary by director Taylor Hackford, for those of us who like this sort of thing. A very well done commentary.
* Scene Access
The obligatory chapter menu. ...
robbroome 06.09.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Proof Of Life (DVD)
Advantages: Crowe, Morse, nice locations Disadvantages: Ryan, no real direction in plot
Proof of Life was Russell Crowe's follow up film to the epic gladiator. His elevated star status and of course that brief flirtation with Meg Ryan could have led to some box office gold but instead this film was a bit of a dud. There is a reason for this and part of it is the fact that it was up against The Grinch. Crowe plays Terry Thorne, a hostage retrieval expert who is brought in to negotiate the release of Peter Bowman. Ryan plays Alice Bowman ... ...for Bowman with the support of Alice but they soon find themselves attracted to each other. Cue love against difficult and un-knowing times? Well no actually because I'm sure this was the intended plot but it never is fully realized. This was meant to be a film where these two people are attracted to each other even though they know it's wrong. However only once do we see any real spark between them and you can't base a 130 minute movie on that one ...
utero 13.09.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Proof Of Life (DVD)
An engineer working for a mining company is kidnapped by guerillas in South America. Thorne is sent in by the insurance company acting on behalf of the mining company; an expert in negotiating for the release of kidnapped westerners. However after optimistically calming the fears of the distressed Mrs Bowman and her sister-in-law, he is pulled out because of an unpaid 'insurance contract'. With a change of heart Thorne decides to take the case on his own time and returns to find Mrs Bowman making preparations to pay a large ransom demand...
Feature Length Audio Commentary By Director Taylor Hackford, Behind The Scenes Documentary The Making Of Proof Of Life, Interactive Menus, Scene Access, Trailer
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
DVD Description
Around the world, between 20,000 and 50,000 people are kidnapped each year. In Taylor Hackford's suspense-filled adventure film, American businessman Peter Bowman (David Morse) is traveling in a Latin American country when a group of criminals take him as their hostage and hold him for ransom. The megacorporation he works for sends in an expert hostage negotiator, Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe), to settle on a ransom with the kidnappers, an antigovernment faction. Thorne earns the reluctant trust of Bowman's wife, Alice (Meg Ryan), and begins trying to win Bowman's freedom, but conflict with Bowman's employers, missteps with the kidnappers, and Thorne's growing attraction to Alice threaten to derail his efforts. Crowe and Ryan are excellent as thrown-together allies under pressure, and Morse's descent from collected businessman to desperate hostage anchors the film. Watch for former NYPD BLUE sensation David Caruso as Crowe's partner. PROOF OF LIFE is based on an article entitled "Adventures in the Ransom Trade," written by William Prochnau, which was published in the May 1998 issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
Compare Proof Of Life (DVD) to other similar Drama »
![Proof Of Life [DVD] [2001]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78542101.jpg)
![Proof Of Life Dvd [2001] | Caruso Sealed 7321900190](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/106098102.jpg "Proof Of Life Dvd [2001] | Caruso Sealed 7321900190")
![Proof Of Life [VHS] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/83966796.jpg "Proof Of Life [VHS] [2001]")
![Proof of Life [DVD] [2001] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/71546286.jpg "Proof of Life [DVD] [2001] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]")
